As part of the KORA F4/FF4 study, 843 people aged 61 to 82 without type 2 diabetes were classified into six risk groups. These clusters differ in terms of the risk of type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related complications such as chronic kidney disease, nerve damage and cardiovascular disease.
Cluster 2 (“very low risk”) showed the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease and the lowest inflammation levels, while cluster 5 (“high risk with insulin-resistant fatty liver”) showed the highest inflammation levels and a high disease burden. The incidence of type 2 diabetes was significantly higher in clusters 3, 4, 5 and 6 than in cluster 2.
Prof. Dr. Christian Herder from the DDZ emphasizes the importance of differentiating risk groups at an early stage, even at an advanced age. Prof. Dr. Michael Roden adds that the study highlights individual differences in the risk of diabetes and diabetes-related diseases and edges the way to more precise early detection and prevention.
